TRIALS OF STRENGTH.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume I, Issue 6, 11 February 1890, Page 3

TRIALS OF STRENGTH.

The following account of a marvellous trial of strength is taken from the Montreal Herald; Canada :—“ There were n-arly one-thousand persona in the St. Henri Town Hall on November 2, to witness a aeries of trials of strength between Louis Cyr, the champion heavy lifter, and Barre, another wellknown man in the same line of sport. The first item on-the programme was the lifting of heavy dumb beds. Oyr was the victor, lifting a dumb bell weighing 3651bs to his opponent’s 1951b5. The next event was the most interest! .g one of the evening, and proved beyond all doubt Oyr’s right to the championship. First, a platform weighing 14Ulos was put on the stage, on ttie top of which were placed seven dumb bells, weighing in the aggregate 7871b5, making a total of 9291b5. Both men succeeded in raising the same from tJie floor. Next a barrel of flour weighing 2lßlbs was also put on the table. This extra weight was also successfully coped with by the two men, Tnirdly, a man weighing 175Jba was added, and lifted by tneni. Then three men weighing respectively 1451b5, 1551b5, and 1441b5, were put on tne table, the whole a flair now weighing l,BlGU>s. Cyr managed to lift the load, but Barre failed to do so, and gave up. Cyr tnen had three more men, weighing altogether 5621b5, making a total weight of 2,878ib5, added. Cyr, amidst breathless silence, approached the table, and, putting his brawny a rmys around

‘ it, essayed to lift his heavy burden, which he did with apparent ease, rousing the enthusiasm of the onlookers to the wildest pitch. After a short rest Cyr once more appeared, and went through a series of heavy lifting peffoimances, the principal of which wijs the lifting of two dumbbells tied together, weighing 4701b5. He caughjt the rope in the middle, and, with ope finger, lifted them some distance froth the ground.” It will be seen that no description is given of how this great lifting feat was done. There are various ways of lifting. In the hand lift the athlete grasps two handles, and with simply his grip to connect himself to the load, lifts mainly with his legs. In the harness lift a strap passes over the athlete’s shoulders, to which is attached the load, and then, standing between two parallel bars of a height so that he can exert with both arms and his legs, he straightens these members, and, as it can be imagined, negotiates a much heavier weight than when his hands alone are used. In regard to the lifting feat at Montreal, the probabilities are that the litter stood between parallel bars underneath a platform, with his body bent, and raised the load by straightening his arms, back, and legs. The harness lift record is 3,239 lbs, by W. B. Curtis ; the band lift is by D. L. Dowd. Cyr is credited with a record of 3,536!b5, done in the style which he generally uses. His physique is specially adapted for this kind of exercise, an 1 a glance at him would impress one that he should stand almost any strain in this line. His height is five feet five inches, and his weight 2471b5.